REGULAR weekend closures of the Riverside Expressway will begin in April to replace faults threatening to compromise the busy roadway.
Transport and Main Roads engineers have identified about 800 pot bearings on 70 spans of the Expressway that need replacing.
The devices support the weight of the bridge deck and allow movement in response to changing temperatures and different loads.
Although first identified as a problem in 2003, the previous government failed to act, adding a degree of urgency to the issue.
Twelve pot bearings were replaced last year in a section west of the Margaret St off-ramp.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the next hydraulic lift would replace another 18 pot bearings nearby.
"I've asked the department to ensure that we minimise the impact on weekend traffic as much as possible around major events and football games," Mr Emerson said.
Despite the growing urgency, the work is likely to take several years because of the limited window of opportunity to close the Expressway. The road is one of Brisbane's busiest, carrying 140,000 vehicles a day.
